As Hollywood looks to rebound amid the new normal and reinvent its business practices, it’s the entertainment industry’s top attorneys who are settling strife between studios and stars, navigating big-ticket mergers and exploring issues involving NFTs and the metaverse.
March 30, 2022 8:30am
Modified on April 5, 2023, Published on March 30, 2022
As Hollywood looks to rebound on the tail end (hopefully) of a global pandemic and reinvent its business practices amid the new normal, it’s the entertainment industry’s top 100 attorneys who are settling the strife between studios and stars over blockbuster streaming releases, navigating big-ticket mergers while fending off the government’s antitrust ire, and exploring cutting-edge issues involving NFTs and the metaverse.
James Adams
Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham
Cornell Law SchoolAdams strikes deals for the likes of Kathryn Hahn, who just signed on to her own Marvel show, Agatha: House of Harkness, and Natasha Lyonne, who will star in and executive produce Rian Johnson’s Poker Face series. “I pay attention to every job as if it’s the biggest job in the world,” says Adams of his approach to his clients, who include Kevin Hart, John Krasinski, Rashida Jones and Kristen Bell.
Show I’m excited about … “House of Dragon, only because I never watched Game of Thrones.”
My podcast would be about … “Interior design.”
Karl Austen
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein
Harvard Law SchoolAusten, who has one of the most enviable client lists in town, says 2021 was the “busiest year as a law firm ever.” Matt Reeves’ The Batman exceeded expectations when it opened in March; Dave Bautista renegotiated for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, got a deal for My Spy 2 and signed up for M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin; and Jonah Hill will star in, co-write and produce Kenya Barris’ Netflix comedy You People. Meanwhile, Carlton Cuse inked a four-year deal at Amazon that Austen calls the “best first-look deal I’ve made in my career.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Wool hats and pajamas.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Retired.”
John Berlinski
Kasowitz Benson Torres
University of Michigan Law SchoolWhen Scarlett Johansson sued Disney over the day-and-date release of Black Widow on Disney+ and in theaters, it was Berlinski leading the charge. He argued that Disney plotted to undermine Johansson’s backend compensation to boost streaming subscriptions. The fight settled, and Berlinski, who also reps Chuck Norris and Narcos EP Katie O’Connell, says he’s already seeing contracts factor in streaming and “new ways to compensate talent.”
My podcast would be about … “Different airline terminals around the world. Restaurants, lounges, bars, shops, what to do when you’ve got layovers and where to go.”
Most interesting client who isn’t one of mine … “Ephraim Salaam. He played in the NFL for 13 years. Now he’s a writer on a number of TV series, including Bel-Air.
Jeff Bernstein
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein
Harvard Law School“It’s critical that the clients be protected,” Bernstein says, referring to new backend deals for stars as more titles are given the day-and-date release treatment. As for his own clients, Carey Mulligan signed on to Universal’s She Said, about the reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story, and Tessa Thompson recently renegotiated her deal for Creed 3. His roster also includes Margot Robbie, Judi Dench, Hilary Swank and Blake Lively.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Probably an architect.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “With all the technological enhancements underway, I do think that we need to be especially mindful of how actors likenesses could be incorporated into movies.”
Gordon Bobb
Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano
Columbia Law SchoolWith clients including Ava DuVernay and Malcolm D. Lee, Bobb has spent the past year focusing on growth and “taking clients who are primarily known for one thing and expanding them into other areas” — like Lena Waithe’s new record label and book imprint. And with such in-demand talent, his days are spent navigating the highly consolidated, competitive industry: “Streamers don’t want their talent appearing on other platforms, even if it’s in a different medium. Exclusivity is becoming increasingly stringent.”
Film I’m excited about … “The adaptation of Caste by Ava DuVernay.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “I think the independent television studio will become a thing of the past.”
Theodore Boutrous Jr.
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
University of San Diego School of LawWhen issues of free speech are in play, Boutrous is the attorney on speed dial. He repped The New York Times as it fended off efforts by President Donald Trump’s DOJ to make it hand over email records, and he led Ashley Judd’s fight against Harvey Weinstein, which “opened up the ability of actors to sue for sexual discrimination and a hostile work environment,” he says. As the world continues to be politicized, the risks for companies rise. Notes Boutrous, “I think the entertainment industry is going to see more attacks based on content that some people don’t like.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A journalist.”
Film I’m excited about … “Rachel Maddow’s film adaptation of her book and podcast, Bag Man.”
Leigh Brecheen
Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver & Thompson
Arizona State University College of LawBrecheen closes deals for some of the biggest names in late night — including renegotiating John Oliver’s deal with HBO to continue Last Week Tonight and reconfiguring Conan O’Brien’s ownership of his podcast, together with WarnerMedia. Brecheen says she’s noticed an increasing value for copyrights and ownership of creative content. “I think we’re about to enter a period where we’re going to see a lot more downward pressure on the prices [people] pay for talent,” she says.
My podcast would be about … “How to bring civility to all aspects of your professional and personal life.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A lottery winner who plays polo professionally.”
Andrew Brettler
Lavely & Singer
Brooklyn Law SchoolBrettler is no stranger to defending high-profile clients like Chris D’Elia and Danny Masterson, but he faced a new level of international scrutiny when he was hired by Prince Andrew in the sexual abuse suit brought by Virginia Giuffre. “Everything we did was under a microscope,” he says. “Every single decision we made was second- and triple-guessed and debated.” (The case settled for an undisclosed sum in February.) In the past year, Brettler also has been representing Sex and the City star Chris Noth, who faces accusations of sexual assault.
My work from home wardrobe … “It varies, but definitely no shoes.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A therapist; much of my time with clients is spent in that capacity already.”
Nancy Bruington
Latham & Watkins
Cornell Law SchoolWith experience across entertainment, media and sports finance, Bruington is a go-to adviser for clients eyeing complex deals — like Endeavor, which turned to her on financing matters relating to the $775 million sale of a controlling stake in studio unit Endeavor Content to South Korea’s CJ ENM. The “dominant” trend of M&A and investments in content companies will “continue for at least the near term,” says Bruington, who also has advised A24, MGM, Skydance Media and eOne.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A food editor, writing and working out recipes for home cooks.”
My work from home wardrobe … “I would describe it, charitably, as athleisure.”
Dale Cendali
Kirkland & Ellis
Harvard Law SchoolAn intellectual property specialist, Cendali’s practice spans trying cases at the district court as well as arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court for clients like 20th Century Fox and Lucky Brand. In addition to successfully defending Take-Two Interactive in a first-of-its-kind dispute with a tattoo artist claiming copyright infringement, Cendali settled a high-profile trademark fight for the rebranded MLB team the Cleveland Guardians in a lawsuit brought by a men’s roller-derby team, and represents Epic Games in a case against smart glasses maker Nreal over its Unreal Engine trademark. She says, “I would never have expected when I started practicing … that the video game industry would become as important culturally and economically as it is.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Increasingly smaller portable devices to watch entertainment.”
My podcast would be about … “Theater and law.”
Stephen Clark
Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark
UC Hastings College of the LawClark, who specializes in behind-the-camera talent, reps the likes of Knives Out pair Rian Johnson and producer Ram Bergman, who wrapped photography of the whodunit sequel for Netflix and joined with T-Street partner MRC to set up Johnson’s first original TV project, Poker Face, at Peacock. Elsewhere, Justin Marks closed a three-year extension of his FX overall deal, and Smokehouse superstars George Clooney and Grant Heslov wrapped principal photography on Ticket to Paradise in Australia and are prepping Boys in the Boat for MGM, followed by a Jon Watts thriller at Apple TV+ with Brad Pitt.
Show I’m excited about … “Non-client? The rest of Billions season six.”
My podcast would be about … “Watches or basketball.”
Robert Darwell
Sheppard Mullin
Georgetown LawWhen he isn’t representing companies like Amazon in its MGM acquisition or streamers like Peacock in its purchase of the Ben Affleck-starring film Hypnotic, Darwell is a burgeoning filmmaker and producer in his own right. The lawyer has a documentary, The 90s Club, that he directed during the pandemic and recently screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. “After all these years of doing contracts for everybody else’s movies, I get to do one that I made,” Darwell says, beaming.
My podcast would be about … “People in the hospitality industry.”
Warren Dern
Sloane Offer Weber & Dern
Southwestern Law SchoolWhen longtime client Amy Poehler decided to make a documentary about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, it became a family affair. Dern’s father, Dixon Dern, represented Ball and Arnaz for years and still helps with the estate. Dern also helped engineer Zack Snyder’s epic sci-fi fantasy Rebel Moon for Netflix. Other A-list clients include J.A. Bayona, Paul Feig, Rebel Wilson and Todd Phillips.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Taylor Sheridan. 1883 is a fun watch.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Theatrical motion pictures.”
André Des Rochers
Granderson Des Rochers
Howard University School of LawThree years after founding his Black-owned firm with music-focused partner Damien Granderson, Des Rochers represents an Emmy-winning actress (Zendaya), an Oscar-winning filmmaker (Roger Ross Williams, who will helm and executive produce Hulu’s upcoming docuseries The 1619 Project) and the director of one of this season’s most Oscar-nominated films, King Richard’s Reinaldo Marcus Green.
My podcast would be about … “Obscure musical instruments.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Virtual reality. We’ve been saying this for some time, but the technology seems like it’s finally caught up with its core aspirations. I imagine the next iteration will radically alter almost everything about the way we live — including and, perhaps especially, our business.”
Ken Deutsch
Latham & Watkins
Harvard Law SchoolInvestors and financiers of all shapes and sizes, including high-net-worth individuals, have Deutsch on speed dial. When Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock Entertainment relaunched its film division with a $175 million equity raise, he negotiated on behalf of the private equity investors. Deutsch also specializes in representing independent content companies like New Republic Pictures, A24 Films, Anonymous Content and Jon Favreau’s Golem Creations. He says, “How content will be displayed and monetized via Web 3.0” is a big focus.
Book I’m excited about … “Whatever Yuval Noah Harari is working on.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A podcast host.”
Isaac Dunham
Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham
Columbia Law SchoolDunham says he’s lucky to make deals for clients he genuinely admires — including Amy Schumer, Awkwafina, Kumail Nanjiani, Rachel Brosnahan, Aidy Bryant and Bowen Yang. “We, as a rule, only represent people whose work we love and who we also love as people,” he says, adding that he thinks that sets his firm apart. “It makes it a better experience for us and our clients. They know that we will always fight to protect them.”
My podcast would be about … “Real estate I’ll never buy on Zillow.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A teacher and a coach.”
David Eisman
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom
UCLA School of LawIn 2021, Eisman made major deals across all facets of the industry — like representing 300 Entertainment in its sale to Warner Music Group; Alamo Records in its sale to Sony; the Russo brothers’ AGBO in the sale of a stake to Japanese gaming giant Nexon; and UTA in its acquisition of MediaLink and launch of indie animation company HappyNest. On the music side, he’s seeing artists “wanting to retain ownership in their works but not miss out on the historically high valuations” through catalog sales, while video game companies, which have experienced serious pandemic growth, “deploy significant capital in the film and television sector.”
My work from home wardrobe … “’80s-style tracksuit.”
Show I’m excited about … “Ozark series finale.”
Craig Emanuel
Paul Hastings
Monash University Law“It’s not just enough to be a good lawyer,” says Emanuel, who’s not afraid to call studio brass to get a client a better deal. “You’ve got to make a difference by creating a reputation of being aggressive, fair, reasonable and respectful.” And make a difference he has: He’s negotiated deals for Ryan Murphy’s franchises, George C. Wolfe’s Rustin, and Julie Lynn and Bonnie Curtis’ Gal Gadot starrer Heart of Stone, among others.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A travel photographer.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “The role NFTs and blockchain are going to have on the industry and how major companies spending money to create interactive, immersive experiences.”
Jeff Endlich
Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman
Cardozo School of LawAs the industry emerges from the pandemic, Endlich is “very excited and relieved to see clients’ projects going into production and getting released.” Client Liz Feldman will soon release season three of Netflix’s Dead to Me, while Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert opened SXSW with A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Chris McKay is directing Universal’s Dracula flick Renfield. Then there’s powerhouse Taika Waititi — who’s coming off co-creating the critically acclaimed Reservation Dogs for FX — having just debuted HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death and readying for the release of Thor 4.
My work from home wardrobe … “Jeans, T-shirt, cardigan and Uggs slippers.”
Alan Epstein
Willkie Farr & Gallagher
UCLA School of LawEpstein fell in love with entertainment law his first day on the job when he got to attend the 1990 Pretty Woman premiere. He’s gone on to represent Ryan Reynolds’ marketing agency, Maximum Effort, in its recent sale to MNTN, and Spyglass’ sale of more than 200 feature films to Lionsgate. “It’s just unbelievable how much has happened in the last few years,” Epstein says of the rapid changes in the industry. “It really touches every aspect of the business.”
Show I’m excited about … “Inventing Anna.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A ski bum or, let’s say, a jazz pianist.”
Jamie Feldman
Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler Feldman & Clark
Harvard Law SchoolDescribing the past year as a boom for the industry, Feldman notes that consolidation and how companies put content on streaming platforms are the big issues he and his clients deal with. “Everything flows from that and to that,” he says. “It’s a cat-and-mouse game.” Longtime client Juno Temple came into her own with renegotiations for Ted Lasso, and despite saying he was retiring, Steven Soderbergh made two film deals, including a return to the Magic Mike franchise. Elsewhere, Barry Jenkins signed a TV producing deal with HBO and HBO Max.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A city planner or urban planner.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Top talent needs to figure out a way to work with parent companies. The talent is running after the company — look at the day-and-date fights — but the answer is for the top talent to become participants, to root for the company to do better, instead of continuing to fight the company’s efforts. If not, it’s a never ending game of whack-a-mole.”
Chad Fitzgerald
Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley
UCLA School of LawFitzgerald’s “bread and butter” is profit-participation litigation on behalf of talent — a booming area of law in the era of day-and-date releases. He scored one of the biggest victories of his career in July, when he helped secure a $200 million settlement for The Walking Dead creator Frank Darabont over his share of profits from the series. Fitzgerald, who also reps Emily in Paris creator Darren Star in a case over writing credits and the estate of Sam Simon in profit-participation audits of The Simpsons, says there’s been “more and more vertical integration” and “studios licensing content to their platforms for below market value.”
My podcast would be about … “’80s and ’90s indie rock.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Christopher Nolan. He’s an auteur who has a lot of clout.”
David Fox
Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light
Western State College of LawFox has a strong roster of empire builders — James Wan, Dan Lin, Christopher McQuarrie, Michael Sugar — but lately finds himself doing more work in TV. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich inked a multiyear overall deal with Netflix to expand the Witcher universe as well as write and produce other series. Allison Miller (Angelyne) renewed her overall deal with UCP, and showrunners Tony Phelan and Joan Rater built a slate that includes buzzy shows Cal Fire and A Small Light. “The theatrical business is still contracting, and it’s about superhero movies and scary movies,” Fox notes. “So it’s all about television now.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “I think we’re at the beginning of yet another tech revolution. The metaverse, Mark Zuckerberg notwithstanding, is an opportunity for content creators and merchandizers. It’s another way to access the consumer. I hate to say it, but I’m a believer in the possibilities to the metaverse and Web 3.0.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Living by a stream with a fly rod in my hand.”
Melissa Fox
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Penn LawFox’s clients are on a hot streak: Kate McKinnon signed to play Weird Barbie in Warner Bros.’ Barbie film and returned to Saturday Night Live. Julio Torres directed his first film and sold an animated feature to Sony. And Hasan Minhaj launched a production company that already has set its first feature film, For the Culture, and wrapped his stand-up tour. “At the end of the day, nothing matters if the person who’s negotiating for you doesn’t really care about you,” says Fox, who also reps Ali Wong and Michael Che. “I will go 100 rounds to get [my clients] what they deserve.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Michael B. Jordan. He’s incredible. Honestly, I love what Margot Robbie’s doing in terms of building her production company. It’s a real production company really doing things. It’s not just a vanity label. Reese Witherspoon, who my partner represents, she’s like the poster child for what a woman can do in this business. She’s literally an empire.”
My podcast would be about … “It would be geared toward career women who are moms.”
Jeff Frankel
McKuin Frankel Whitehead
UCLA School of LawAmong Frankel’s highlights was Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby inking an overall deal with HBO and Maid creator Molly Smith Metzler landing an overall deal at Netflix. Meanwhile, Zachary Levi is starring in Sony’s Harold and the Purple Crayon, Stacy Osei-Kuffour will write Marvel’s Blade reboot, and Chris Morgan will pen and produce Red One with Dwayne Johnson at Amazon.
My podcast would be about … “The absurd issues that come up in the transactions I handle, but I am limited by attorney-client privilege.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Hopefully, a return to successful wide theatrical releases for movies.”
Bryan Freedman
Freedman & Taitelman
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of LawFreedman is an expert in crisis litigation, the type that’s heavy in late night phone calls and corporate drama. He represented Mike Richards and Chris Harrison in their respective employment disputes with Sony over Jeopardy! and WarnerMedia/ABC over The Bachelor. Now he’s repping Chris Cuomo as the former CNN anchor responds to his termination. “How do employers police their own?” Freedman asks. “What kind of due process is there?” And then there’s Quentin Tarantino, who was sued by Miramax over NFTs he was involved in releasing that were based on his Pulp Fiction screenplay — an area of law Freedman expects will “become really big in Hollywood.”
Show I’m excited about … “I’m looking forward to Pachinko on AppleTV+.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “I think I would run a summer camp. The only problem is being a lawyer causes so much fear about the liability of a summer camp.”
Rob Freeman
Proskauer
Georgetown LawThe co-head of the firm’s technology, media and telecom group had a hand in one of the most high-profile Hollywood mergers of 2021, advising longtime client Discovery on its deal to combine with AT&T’s WarnerMedia. His client list also includes the likes of Hulu, Crown Media, AMC Networks, Cox Communications, NFL Media and former Viacom CFO Wade Davis’ ForgeLight Capital. Freeman expects to see sector consolidation in “related areas, including sports betting.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A bartender on a beach somewhere.”
My podcast would be about … “My three sons (ages 19, 16 and 13).”
Stephen Fronk
Sidley Austin
UC Hastings College of the LawFronk’s recent work for longtime client Amazon includes the collaboration with Disney for voice assistant Alexa’s “Hey, Disney” feature and with the New York Yankees to livestream games on Amazon. Since completing his first tech transactions in 1999, Fronk has leaned into a business-minded approach to law. “Sometimes you have lawyers that say, ‘Oh, that’s a legal issue’ or ‘That’s a business issue.’ From my point of view, there’s really no difference between a legal issue and a business issue. They’re all business issues,” Fronk says.
My podcast would be about … “Our national parks. The history and beauty and how it is that these enormous and beautiful swaths of land in our country came to be.”
Book I’m excited about … “I’ve been waiting a long time for the new book in the Game of Thrones series.”
Matt Galsor
Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger
Columbia Law SchoolLongtime client Tom Cruise kept shooting, and shooting, and shooting his Mission: Impossible 7 movie through multiple shutdowns, re-budgetings and insurance dealings, which kept Galsor busy. “It’s not about making a deal but getting involved in logistics, challenges and rules and working with everyone to push things through,” he says. Elsewhere, clients Chris Hemsworth will star in Extraction 2 and Furiosa; Vin Diesel continues his expansion into video games; and David Fincher edits his next project, The Killer.
My work from home wardrobe … “T-shirt and shorts, à la John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A philosophy professor.”
Jonathan Gardner
Cohen Gardner
University of Virginia School of LawGardner crafted the deal for Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho to direct an untitled sci-fi epic for Warner Bros. starring Robert Pattinson. Meanwhile, Megan Park directed her first feature for HBO (The Fallout) and Ryan Coogler has wrapped Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Gardner, who also reps Boots Riley and Forest Whitaker, says he’s seeing a shift to all-cash deals as theatrical dips and streaming surges.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Denis Villeneuve. He’s a visionary and I really love his work.”
Show I’m excited about … “I’m a Virgo on Amazon.”
Bruce Gellman
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Berkeley LawThe Netflix deal market has been hot for Gellman, who inked pacts for a slew of clients including Meredith Averill (Locke & Key), Kalinda Vasquez (Star Trek: Discovery), Jessica Brownell (newly minted Bridgerton showrunner) and Deborah Kahn (The Diplomat). Previous deals are yielding proverbial dividends, as is the case with Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins and Patrick McManus (Peacock’s Dr. Death and Hulu’s The Girl From Plainville). In his free time, Gellman is watching the final season of client Dan Fogelman’s NBC tearjerker This Is Us.
Film I’m excited about … “I read a lot of nonfiction, so I’m excited about George Clooney’s adaptation of The Boys in the Boat — and not just because I represent Courtney Henggeler, who’s in the cast.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “There’s going to be more consolidation — but, having just gone through so much, we’re going also to see how those companies integrate and move forward.”
Gregg Gellman
Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman
Loyola Law SchoolAs streamers continue to change the landscape of Hollywood deals, Gellman anticipates “a storm coming” — referencing the final scene of 1984’s Terminator. “I’ve always felt like eventually there was going to be this sort of apocalyptic fight about how the streaming services have tried to change the dynamic of how backends work in our business,” he says. Most recently, Gellman took on Squid Game creators Hwang Dong-hyuk and Kim Ji-yeon, who join his existing client base of Kenya Barris, She-Hulk writer Jessica Gao, filmmaker Lulu Wang and animator Loren Bouchard.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Maybe a sports agent. I’m a big sports fan.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Historically, it was very difficult for newer entrepreneurial companies to break into Hollywood. Now, it’s far more accessible and you are starting to see these well-funded strategic partners come in and make deals in the place of the traditional studios.”
Michael Gendler
Gendler & Kelly
UCLA School of LawGendler doesn’t have to think too hard when asked about his 2021 highlights: Shonda Rhimes’ five-year Netflix extension; Courtney Kemp’s four-year deal at the streamer, which also allows her to work on the Power spinoffs at Starz; Chris Pine’s directorial debut, Poolman; and Miles Millar and Al Gough’s Wednesday Addams series, just to name a few. Gendler expects consolidation will continue to significantly impact the industry: “As fewer and fewer companies come to dominate, leverage will become much, much more important and essential to good dealmaking.”
My work from home wardrobe … “A T-shirt, sweatpants and clogs.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A philosopher.”
Rick Genow
Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher
Harvard Law SchoolGenow’s splashiest clients are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but he won’t comment on their Archewell Production banner deals. Meanwhile, he shepherded Hagai Levi’s HBO passion project, Scenes From a Marriage, and Eric Kripke’s overall deal and expansion of The Boys universe at Amazon and handled renegotiations for castmembers on Euphoria and Outer Banks. With the arrival of new Netflix rivals, Genow is seeing a welcome shift in how much information companies are sharing with talent. “As long as there’s competition in the marketplace, there will have to be transparency,” he says. “And there is true competition in the streaming marketplace now.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “[Ukraine president] Volodymyr Zelensky, He’s a modern-day David vs. Goliath, a hero for the ages. His story and what he stands for will be told in every medium.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “The metaverse is coming and the speed and scale of change will go supersonic.”
Lev Ginsburg
Ginsburg Daniels Kallis
UCLA School of LawGinsburg’s firm, like many others, had its busiest year ever. “There are more buyers, and the need for content is huge,” he says. “All around, it’s been beneficial for creators.” Leading man Timothée Chalamet closed his deal to star in Wonka; LaKeith Stanfield signed on for Disney’s Haunted Mansion and Apple TV+’s The Changeling; and Rachel Bloom made deals for three series — Steve Levitan’s Reboot; Badass (and Her Sister) with Aline Brosh McKenna; and an untitled sketch show for Peacock. In the podcast world, comedian Tom Segura got a “blockbuster” of a deal.
Hollywood’s next change is … “Hopefully, a renewed interest in original feature-length films.”
My work from home wardrobe … “My ancient UCLA sweatshirts and T-shirts.”
Tamerlin Godley
Paul Hastings
USC Gould School of LawSince Godley departed Munger, Tolles & Olson for Paul Hastings to help build its entertainment and media litigation practice, she continues to be sought for sensitive investigations, including follow-up work for WarnerMedia regarding alleged misconduct on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. While much of her high-profile recent work is confidential, she does talk about diving into the world of NFTs and the metaverse and references helping blockchain game Mobland navigate a dispute with The Dark Knight Returns author Frank Miller.
My podcast would be about … “Really cool insights from nonfiction authors. There is so much social science research and interesting ideas being explored, but there isn’t enough time to read it all.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “President!”
Carlos Goodman
Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher
UCLA School of LawClient Jared Leto’s House of Gucci broke the adult drama curse at the box office and earned him a SAG nomination for best supporting actor, while Christian Bale is starring in Scott Cooper’s The Pale Blue Eye and David O. Russell’s untitled film. Goodman, who also reps Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Greengrass, Darren Aronofsky and Steve McQueen, is also advising Quentin Tarantino in his fight with Miramax over the auction of an NFT of his original handwritten screenplay of Pulp Fiction.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “In my dreams, GM for an NFL franchise.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Charlie Brooker because he’s especially brilliant.”
Marissa Román Griffith
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Stanford Law SchoolA specialist in finding creative financing solutions for those looking to play in the big leagues without losing control of their entity, Román Griffith helped put together a multimillion-dollar revolving loan facility for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine (which sold a majority stake to Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media for $900 million in August) and inked several deals for MRC, including for financing of its new Apple TV+ series Hello Tomorrow! and Amazon’s The Terminal List.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “[Charles King’s] Macro. I wish more companies would mirror their holistic approach to increasing above- and below-the-line representation of underrepresented voices.”
My podcast would be about … “Campground cooking. I’d be the Ina Garten of RV-ing.”
Ellie Heisler
Nixon Peabody
Loyola Law SchoolHeisler isn’t “scared to play in new and undefined waters.” The lawyer helped Emily Ratajkowski sell an NFT at Christie’s that showed the actress posing in front of artist Richard Price’s blown-up canvas print of an Instagram post featuring a 2014 Sports Illustrated photo shoot she was in. (The NFT sold for about $140,000.) Heisler also is advising TikTok star Addison Rae in her transition to Hollywood, which began with a lead role in Netflix’s He’s All That, and handles business deals for MMA fighter Conor McGregor.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Ryan Reynolds. I think everything he touches turns to gold. He’s an incredible actor with a very strong ability to create advertising content that resonates with a lot of people.”
My podcast would be about … “Food, booze and hospitality. It would be about all the delicious things in L.A.”
Shawn Holley
Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley
Southwestern Law SchoolA crisis litigator operating at the highest level, Holley knows she’s doing a good job when her clients aren’t in the news. “If I’m successful in what I’ve done, you don’t know everything I’ve done,” says the attorney who reps the Kardashian and Jenner families in various legal matters. Some matters do become public, though, and her roster includes Shia LaBeouf, whom she’s defending in a sexual abuse suit filed his by former girlfriend FKA Twigs, and a trio of songwriters in a since-settled lawsuit against Lizzo alleging that they weren’t credited for helping write her breakout song, “Truth Hurts.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A music supervisor and a SoulCycle instructor.”
Show I’m excited about … “Reasonable Doubt, a show based (loosely) on me, which will air later this year on Hulu. The executive producers are Kerry Washington, Larry Wilmore … and me!!”
Matthew Johnson
Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole
NYU School of Law“You can no longer assume a theatrical release,” says Johnson, whose roster is packed with prolific creators and multihyphenates like Adam McKay, Donald Glover, Idris Elba, Tiffany Haddish and Tyler Perry. He notes that streaming extends far beyond the reaches of Netflix and Amazon and dealmaking is now about “navigating the intentionality of what you are trying to produce and how you want it released.”
My podcast would be about … “The history of policing in the U.S. (drawing on my time as head of the Police Commission for the LAPD).”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “In politics, probably a staffer in the State Department.”
Ivy Kagan Bierman
Loeb & Loeb
Northwestern University Pritzker School of LawAs the industry continued to grapple with the pandemic, Kagan Bierman — a leading rep for film, TV and digital companies on guild and labor matters and whose clients have included the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Discovery, Lionsgate and Skydance — pushed employers not only to abide by collective bargaining agreements but to think about doing more to help workers whose projects were shut down. And, as a key adviser on the guilds’ and studios’ COVID-19 safety protocols at a time when even masks were political, she says, “I had to be 24/7 for clients during production when there literally were disputes on sets.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “I would hopefully be in the U.S. Senate.”
Book I’m excited about … “My son is writing a novel. I’m not allowed to talk about it. I believe as a proud mother that it is potentially the next Harry Potter/Game of Thrones. So I’m looking forward to my son’s novel getting published, and my negotiating the deal for a movie based upon the novel.”
Adam Kaller
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Whittier Law SchoolHis clients include actors (Steven Yeun, Penn Badgley), journalists (Ronan Farrow) and influencers (Emma Chamberlain). For Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny, he negotiated an overall deal at Disney and for Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper a multiyear exclusive deal with Spotify. Kaller says he’s proud he was an early believer in podcasting and the creator economy: “I’m not saying that I see the future, but I just got lucky and I picked that right path.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Either a chef, a photographer or an entrepreneur. I’m not as talented, but I would have wanted to be Wolfgang Puck or José Andrés.”
My podcast would be about … “The force and power of the human will. It would be sort of a Tim Ferriss-esque exploration of how and why people achieve greatness.”
Mitch Kamin
Covington & Burling
Harvard Law SchoolAmong the former public interest lawyer’s most recent high-profile matters was working with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to help settle cases brought by more than 500 gymnasts who allege they were sexually abused by former team doctor Larry Nassar and others. He also is representing local TV and media company Nexstar in retransmission suits against Comcast and Charter and defending ViacomCBS in an Illinois franchise fee class action regarding streaming services. “Streaming is king, and there’s a lot of legal issues that flow from that,” Kamin says. “We’re right at the heart of that work.
My podcast would be about … “Ending homelessness, or aging punk rockers who powder ski.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “An aging punk rocker who powder skis a lot more.”
Richard Kendall
Kendall Brill & Kelly
USC Gould School of LawKendall helped finalize client CAA’s arbitration with independent film company Worldview Entertainment after the latter brought a $55 million suit in 2018, a deal that saw Worldview dismiss all claims and walk away without payment from CAA. In addition to some confidential matters, Kendall is representing Garfield character and brand owner Paws Inc. in an arbitration with an Alcon Media Group subsidiary and last year helped a major studio win an award in a fee dispute with a producer on a high-profile film.
My work from home wardrobe … “Long-sleeved collared shirt, and hiking pants or hiking shorts (depending on the weather).
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “My Walter Mitty dream (before a recent knee replacement) was to play competitive senior tennis.”
Arash Khalili
Loeb & Loeb
California Western School of LawKhalili is on the cutting edge of complex M&A, private equity and joint ventures, especially when it comes to tech and digital deals. Recent work includes advising Netflix on its acquisition of the indie video game developer Night School Studio, top streamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins in his multiyear deal with Twitch and Dwyane Wade on his purchase of a stake in the NBA’s Utah Jazz. Says Khalili, “I have a reputation as being a fixer and a closer.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Elon Musk. He does so much with the intersection of technology [and] media content that has the propensity to become game-changers.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A real estate investor.”
Kelly Klaus
Munger Tolles & Olson
Stanford Law SchoolWith a roster of clients that includes Disney, Warner Bros. and Netflix, Klaus is a leading attorney on major infringement actions against illegal streaming services. Representing ACE, a global consortium of 31 studios and networks, in December, he secured an injunction against three companies running illicit platforms. He’s also long represented the Motion Picture Association in combatting piracy services.
My work from home wardrobe … “A whole lot of Lululemon. (Laughs.)”
My podcast would be about … “Classic game shows from the 1970s.”
Deborah Klein
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein
USC Gould School of LawThis year, Klein kept the deals closing for one of Hollywood’s most prolific stars, Samuel L. Jackson, including wrapping a new television pact with Marvel and renegotiating his Capitol One ad campaign. She also brokered an acting and producing deal for Will Ferrell and Gloria Sanchez Productions for the musical Spirited at Apple TV+; got Paul Rudd set up in Ant Man 3 and on a Lays Super Bowl commercial; and closed Vince Vaughn’s new Apple TV+ show, Bad Monkey, with Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence.
My podcast would be about … “How to make a 24-hour day 30 hours.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Always includes my dog on my lap.”
Alex Kohner
Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman
Loyola Law SchoolKohner’s roster features multiple sets of successful siblings: The Duffer brothers have the fourth season of Stranger Things dropping this summer, and the Weitz boys are in postproduction on a live-action Bambi remake. Elsewhere, Kohner made a deal for NASCAR with Will Smith and his company Westbrook on the rom-com Clean Air at Amazon; the L.A. Lakers have a Netflix comedy with Mindy Kaling producing; and author Jonathan Franzen’s Crossroads landed at Media Res for TV. Says Kohner, “It was a competitive negotiation for a phenomenal work from an awe-inspiring author.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “The conflict between the pre-pandemic Hollywood work ethic and changed expectations about work/life balance is causing a significant cultural shift on the production and representation sides of the business.
Show I’m excited about … “House of the Dragon. I miss Game of Thrones.”
Tara Kole
Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole
Harvard Law SchoolKole says her main objective as Hollywood claws its way out of the pandemic is, “How can we find ways to help our clients realize their vision?” One vision she helped realize recently is feature Bullet Train, the Brad Pitt starring Sony action movie from clients David Leitch and Kelly McCormick. Her roster also includes such actors as Thomasin McKenzie and Zac Efron and public figures like Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and Chelsea Clinton and Hillary Clinton, for whom she landed a film deal for the latter’s novel State of Terror. Co-founding Johnson Shapiro this year also has let Kole realize her own vision: “That has been so rewarding in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
Show I’m excited about … “My Brilliant Friend season three.”
My podcast would be about … “My life’s dream is to be a guest on The Rewatchables. I don’t need my own podcast.”
Michael Kump
Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump Holley
University of Michigan Law SchoolWhen sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey surfaced, Kump led Media Rights Capital’s investigation that concluded the actor breached his House of Cards contract. He then secured in arbitration $31 million for MRC from Spacey’s production companies. As longtime counsel to the Kardashian and Jenner families, he also represented them in various business disputes this year as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, among others, in confidential matters. He says there’s a “fine line between aggressively protecting my clients’ rights but also protecting their brand.”
My podcast would be about … “Scotland. I went to school there and lived there for a year.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A philosopher. I went to graduate school and got a Ph.D. in philosophy.”
Molly Lens
O’Melveny
University of Michigan Law SchoolLately, Lens has developed a niche in copyright termination, an area of law that allows authors to recapture ownership rights after waiting a period of time. In October, she launched a series of suits on behalf of Disney in response to moves by the estates of late Marvel writers seeking to reclaim their work. She also was pivotal in helping 20th Century Fox settle a copyright termination suit that threatened the release of the next installment in the Predator franchise.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A baker.”
My podcast would be about … “Copyright termination.”
Bianca Levin
Gang Tyre Ramer Brown & Passman
Yale Law SchoolIn the past year, Levin navigated a bidding war for superstar Dwayne Johnson (his film Red One went to Amazon), helped Regina King produce and star in a passion project (the Shirley Chisholm biopic Shirley) and built up new talent such as The Batman’s Jayme Lawson, poised for a breakout moment portraying a young Michelle Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady. “The volume of deals has increased over the years,” says Levin, who also negotiated Johnson’s digital appearance in Fortnite, his first gaming deal in 15 years.
My work from home wardrobe … “Comfy sweats with a nicer sweater on top. That’s my go-to for an unexpected Zoom.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A food and travel writer.”
Jared Levine
Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman
Harvard Law SchoolLevine has maintained a “critical mass” of pilot development showrunner deals as well as feature writing and directing deals for clients. Stephen Curry’s Unanimous entered a deal with Universal Studios and DreamWorks Animation; Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence inked a nine-figure overall TV deal at Warner Bros.; and Jordan Peele’s Universal feature deal was sweetened with a TV pact. Levine and his firm also signed Squid Game helmer Hwang Dong-hyuk and the hit show’s production company.
My podcast would be about … “Major League Baseball, focusing primarily on the Dodgers and the other National League teams.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Long sleeve T-shirts, sweat pants (ranging from Nike to Vuori and cashmere ones on cold winter days) and Vans.”
Jamie Mandelbaum
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein
NYU School of LawTapped as co-president (alongside Karl Austen), Mandelbaum is now stewarding his firm while setting new projects for a roster that includes such performers as Danai Gurira, Brian Cox and Nicholas Braun and showrunners like Matt Weitzman (American Dad), Bruce Miller (a new deal with ABC Signature and The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu), Patrick Somerville (HBO Max breakout Station Eleven) and Michael Patrick King. The latter just inked a massive deal at HBO Max, where he’ll executive produce more episodes of And Just Like That.
Show I’m excited about … “Hulu’s adaptation of Devil in the White City. It’s just an extraordinary story. It was an amazing book, and Sam Shaw is an incredible creator.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Everyone involved with making Somebody Somewhere. It’s brilliant.”
Kevin Masuda
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Harvard Law SchoolMasuda got his start on sports deals but now advises stars like LeBron James on his media company SpringHill, which recently sold a stake to investors including RedBird Capital, Nike, Fenway Sports Group and Epic Games, raising its valuation to $725 million. Says Masuda, “It is fun to watch one of your clients grow and develop this incredible business strategy in a pretty short period of time — during a pandemic.” He likes to keep his “business hat” on and tries not to “over-lawyer” deals so he can support clients from both a business and legal perspective.
Film I’m excited about … “There’s one [book] that recently came out called Loveboat, Taipei. It’s about the boat that goes to Taiwan over the summers and the Taiwanese American students go on and they learn about the culture. It was an Asian American lawyer writing about an Asian American topic that became a New York Times best-seller, and now they’re making a movie out of it. I think the entertainment industry is becoming more diverse, and I think we’re just at the beginning.”
My podcast would be about … “[People] talking about what they watch and why they watch it. It would be a way to help older people who are sometimes technologically challenged, like myself, to figure out ways to curate.”
David Matlof
Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof & Fishman
Berkeley LawAmid “ever-increasing competition among and between the streaming services” and despite COVID’s lingering impact on the theatrical market, Matlof is helping clients navigate the new entertainment landscape gracefully and successfully: Chris McKenna co-wrote the box office sensation Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Bo Burnham’s Netflix special Inside became a critical darling. Coming up, Maya Rudolph will star on an Apple TV+ series and Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick is (finally) set to hit theaters in May.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “I’m a big fan of Ramy Youssef and Brian Cox.”
Show I’m excited about … “The Game of Thrones prequels and the next season of Succession.”
Joel McKuin
McKuin Frankel Whitehead
Harvard Law SchoolWhile the headline for McKuin’s clients could easily be Kristen Stewart’s Oscar nom for her role as Princess Diana in Spencer, there’s more where that came from. Client Morgan Cooper’s Bel-Air — a dramatic reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — made a big splash on Peacock; Noah Hawley is prepping a fifth season of Fargo and an Alien prequel, both for FX; Scream scribe James Vanderbilt wrote and is producing a sequel to Netflix’s Murder Mystery starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston; and Mixed-Ish showrunner Karin Gist moved forward with the Mike Tyson biopic series Iron Mike at Hulu and has an overall deal at 20th TV.
Hollywood’s next change is … “Premium ramen will be the new avocado toast!”
My work from home wardrobe … “I rotated workout wear and chinos.”
John Meigs Jr.
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Harvard Law SchoolBetween negotiating a landmark nine-figure WarnerMedia partnership for Issa Rae (“She’s literally a mogul; she would not describe herself that way, but I would”) and deals for Prentice Penny, Kaley Cuoco, Winston Duke and Damson Idris, Meigs has had a busy year, which he attributes largely to the “arms race” among the streamers. “You can’t use quotes anymore, and there’s a lot of competition out there for talent,” says Meigs. “That’s been a great thing for a lot of our clients because the rates have been going up.”
Show I’m excited about … “Issa Rae’s Rap Shit.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “I used to want to be an architect a long time ago. I’m a big fan of architecture, but I think I’m better suited to be a lawyer — less physics and engineering classes.”
Darrell Miller
Fox Rothschild
Georgetown LawWhile tried-and-true clients like Courtney B. Vance, Reginald Hudlin and Angela Bassett remain on the A-list (with Bassett becoming the highest-paid Black actress on TV after a 9-1-1 raise), Miller is setting his sights set on heat-generating talent like Teyonah Parris, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Tati Gabrielle and Moses Ingram. “African American women have had a challenging time in our business historically,” he says. “To see doors opening and opportunities being created at a level they haven’t been is an honor to be part of.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Singing and performing. I have a degree in musical theater.”
Film I’m excited about … “Black Panther 2.”
Peter Nelson
Nelson Davis
UC Hastings College of the LawNelson’s director clients have remained busy despite some pandemic headaches: Peter Jackson’s documentary The Beatles: Get Back was a hit for Disney+; Baltasar Kormákur’s Idris Elba starrer Beast is in post at Universal after “many quarantines and hurdles” in South Africa; and Edgar Wright completed reshoots and released Last Night in Soho following COVID-19 interruptions. Elsewhere, newer clients include The Chi‘s Barton Fitzpatrick and Wu-Tang: An American Saga‘s Johnell Young.
My podcast would be about … “How to avoid the rise of, and how to bring down, authoritarian, sociopathic leaders.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Studios and streamers surreptitiously acting in concert, rather than competition, to try to deflate talent fees and backends.”
Amy Nickin
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
Wayne LawFor Nickin, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is helping her clients see through their ideas from inception to reality, as was the case with Brian d’Arcy James’ upcoming CBS comedy How We Roll. Nickin, whose clients also include Aaron Sorkin and John Goodman, assisted Melissa Benoist in setting up her post-Supergirl gig (HBO Max’s Girls on the Bus) and lined up Dan Fogler on the new Fantastic Beasts movie as well as playing Francis Ford Coppola in Paramount+ series The Offer.
Hollywood’s next change is … “Holographic lawyers.”
My podcast would be about … “The science of cooking.”
Robert Offer
Sloane Offer Weber & Dern
UCLA School of LawOffer is the superhero crusader of the moment, representing Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Robert Pattinson (The Batman), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman). Then there’s Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+; Adam Driver, next starring in White Noise; and Ryan Gosling, up next in The Gray Man.
Show I’m excited about … “Next season of White Lotus.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A hotel concierge.”
Rick Offsay
Latham & Watkins
Harvard Law SchoolOffsay was among MGM’s key advisers in its buzzy $8.45 billion sale to Amazon in May. The dealmaker, whose client roster has included Endeavor, MarVista Entertainment and Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group, notes that while many private equity firms have invested in content businesses, “a significant portion of our film/TV M&A deals last year involved a strategic buyer.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A water polo coach.”
Film I’m excited about … “Top Gun: Maverick — both because our client Skydance is involved and because the original was the first ‘grownup movie’ I was allowed to watch.”
Danny Passman
Gang Tyre Ramer Brown & Passman
UCLA School of LawPassman enjoys when his stars align, like when he hammered out deals for clients Camila Cabello and Nicholas Galitzine to lead Amazon’s Cinderella, or when he watched client Riz Ahmed click with his Mogul Mowgli filmmaker Bassam Tariq. Passman now counts Tariq as a client and negotiated his deal to jump from indie darling to blockbuster filmmaker with Marvel Studios’ Blade. “It’s such an enormous opportunity,” says Passman, who also reps Wonder Woman‘s Patty Jenkins.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “I would say film composers, generally. I had an ‘aha’ moment recently where I realized nearly all of my favorite movies also had my favorite musical scores — and I started to think about causality. The best film composers are magicians.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “I actually did that already! Before I was a lawyer, I directed music videos — and loved it, too.”
Jodi Peikoff
Peikoff Mahan
Cardozo School of LawPeikoff’s year included deals for America Ferrera, who will star opposite Margot Robbie in Warner Bros.’ Barbie, and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who wrote the hit song “Agatha All Along” from Marvel’s WandaVision. “I care about the issues that matter to my clients, not just dollars and cents,” says Peikoff, though she adds that there’s “still not pay equity for women and people of color.” She also counts Michael C. Hall and David Harbour as clients.
Hollywood’s next change is … “The industry has been saying the right things about equity, inclusion and representation, now it needs to make it real, especially behind the camera where disparities are easier to ignore.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Advocating for people/issues in a different area in other ways.”
Daniel Petrocelli
O’Melveny
Southwestern Law SchoolIn addition to defending Disney in Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit over the Black Widow release, Petrocelli recently worked on high-stakes copyright litigation involving 20th Century Fox’s rights to Predator that settled, allowing a new film to proceed, and secured Disney’s rights to various Marvel characters against writers’ estates. He also advises studios in reworking distribution models without legal trouble: “Everybody is rethinking how content will be monetized.”
Film I’m excited about … “The new Godfather film, which may never come but I’m still hopeful.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A professional trumpet player.”
Ken Richman
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Harvard Law SchoolInking Elisabeth Moss a new pact for season five of Emmy-winning The Handmaid’s Tale and lining up multiple projects for Will Forte (Peacock’s MacGruber series and the live-action/CGI Looney Tunes flick Coyote vs. Acme), Richman has been especially busy with his stable of writers, among them Jeff Schaffer (FX’s Dave and HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm), Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Deadpool 3), and Mike Schur (Field of Dreams series). “I’m excited about that one,” says Richman, “as a fan of his, as a fan of Field of Dreams and as a fan of baseball in general.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Classic jeans and a T-shirt or sweatshirt.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “I’d like to think I’d be working in the front office of a baseball team.”
Nancy Rose
Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham
GW LawAs long as Lin-Manuel Miranda is “Non-Stop,” so is his lawyer. After the multihyphenate released no fewer than four features in the latter half of 2021 — In the Heights, Vivo, Tick, Tick … Boom! and Encanto — Rose already has worked to refill her client’s slate with four as-yet-unannounced projects across multiple mediums. She also negotiated lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz’s deal on the upcoming sequel Disenchanted, which will premiere on Disney+. “It’s difficult to get a theatrical release commitment for a feature film,” Rose says. “If you do, expect to negotiate the length of the commitment, along with TVOD and SVOD windows, which vary from studio to studio.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Desmond & Dempsey pajamas.”
My podcast would be about … “Discussion and advice on the mental health challenges facing our teens, who are dealing with the negative effects of social media, academic pressure, racism, gun violence, social inequity and the fear that our planet may die.”
Mathew Rosengart
Greenberg Traurig
Boston College Law SchoolWhile Rosengart’s success in helping Britney Spears end her long-standing conservatorship made countless headlines (see page 67), that’s hardly the only matter on his docket. Rosengart, who prides himself on “being in touch and also being principled,” is longtime counsel to Sean Penn and also represents Meta in connection with a series being produced about the company; Steven Spielberg in a confidential intellectual property matter; and Three Six Zero Group chief executive Mark Gillespie in an art fraud case against galleries that sold him fake paintings, which settled shortly before trial.
My podcast would be about … “Politics. I started my career at the justice department in Washington and am still a political junkie. Second choice would be sports, my first love, until I realized that I was both too short and too slow to play college basketball.”
My work from home wardrobe … “After the first month of business attire, when realizing it would be a long haul, I reverted to T-shirts and sweatpants.”
Benyamin Ross
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
NYU School of LawRoss knows what’s for sale in Hollywood — and for how much. In the past year, he added Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Blackstone-backed Candle Media to his client roster, handling its $900 million acquisition of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine as well as its minority stake in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc. He also handled Snapchat’s acquisition of Screenshop and Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo selling Quibi’s IP library to Roku.
My podcast would be about … “Data science and visualization for lawyers.”
Gretchen Rush
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
UCLA School of LawThough there are plenty of men in Rush’s portfolio, she has established an impressive niche with Hollywood’s A-list women. “It’s been a total privilege to help them build their businesses and not just negotiate their acting deals,” says Rush, who last summer celebrated the sale of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, for which she continues to negotiate film and TV deals. Rush also closed a giant pact for Ellen Pompeo for Grey’s Anatomy season 19 and, on the heels of Don’t Look Up, brokered a trio of deals for Jennifer Lawrence, two at Apple TV+ (a Sue Mengers biopic and Bad Blood, from Adam McKay) and one for the R-rated comedy No Hard Feelings at Sony.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Ruth Negga because she makes acting seem absolutely effortless.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Hoodies from my kids’ closets and flip-flops.”
Kelli Sager
Davis Wright Tremaine
University of Utah College of LawA preeminent First Amendment attorney, Sager adores free speech — and anti-SLAPP laws. Sager used the statute to obtain an early dismissal for Associated Newspapers of a suit from then-Rep. Katie Hill against media outlets that ran redacted photos of her. She says the statute has been “a savior” for news outlets that can’t afford protracted litigation. Sager also scored a win for TMZ when it was sued for reporting on documents that were filed under seal in a custody fight between Rob Kardashian and his former fiancee, Blac Chyna.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Oprah Winfrey or Barack and Michelle Obama. I find them so impressive and to be engaging people.”
My podcast would be about … “Travel. Before the pandemic, I used to travel a lot and have developed strong views on how things should be. I don’t think hotels and airlines are receptive to what’s good for travelers.”
Michael Schenkman
Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher
Berkeley LawGoodman Schenkman and Stone Genow officially merged in March 2020, but “only now is everyone coming back to the office, so it feels fresh,” says Schenkman. The dealmaker had his hands full when client Christopher Nolan set up the biopic Oppenheimer at Universal, securing many key deal points not seen in modern times. “This is consistent with the prior deals that he had,” he notes, “but perhaps a more important one considering the changing landscape.” Meanwhile, Javier Bardem signed on to Being the Ricardos for Amazon, while Brad Bird returned to animation with a deal to co-write, produce and direct Ray Gunn.
Hollywood’s next change is … “Ramping up expense accounts.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A sportscaster.”
Ira Schreck
Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham
Columbia Law SchoolSchreck had a big year with clients Sarah Jessica Parker (“starring in a series, a movie and a Broadway show while still attending to her fashion and fragrance business”), Jason Katims (“putting his heart into the brilliant As We See It“), Dominique Fishback, Kevin Hart and West Side Story scribe Tony Kushner, all while “navigating the crazy shooting schedules necessitated by the pandemic and holding the firm’s culture together without face time.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A landscaper.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Old Navy T-shirts and Lululemon pants.”
Bobby Schwartz
Quinn Emanuel
USC Gould School of LawSchwartz aims to keep problems from turning into lawsuits, especially when it comes to contract disputes. He says: “Litigation is disruptive, inefficient and incredibly expensive. A lot of my skill is in getting clients what they need before a lawsuit is filed.” His docket includes various matters for the likes of Jay-Z, Big Run Studios and Legendary Entertainment.
Show I’m excited about … “Better Call Saul and Stranger Things.”
Hollywood’s next big change is … “There’s just too many streaming services out there. There’s going to be a revolt by viewers where some of the services will just not be able to attract enough of an audience. You’ll have churn. There’s going to be carnage.”
P.J. Shapiro
Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole
USC Gould School of Law“Talent is always going to be our core business,” says Shapiro of the boutique entertainment firm he co-founded in January. His roster includes TV’s top creatives Jesse Armstrong, Mindy Kaling and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who are riding a “wave of mega overall deals,” as he puts it. Meanwhile, John Cena reprised his Suicide Squad character in the popular HBO Max series Peacemaker and Selena Gomez launched RareBeauty, a vegan and cruelty-free makeup line.
Film I’m excited about … “I am psyched to see what James Cameron does with the Avatar franchise.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “An ocean swim instructor at Club Med.”
Nina Shaw
Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano
Columbia Law SchoolThe industry titan’s roster includes movie mainstays like Ava DuVernay and Candyman director Nia DaCosta, but Shaw is particularly proud of her more up-and-coming clients who’ve enjoyed what she calls “a banner year,” such as TV creators Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) and Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary). She notes, “Quinta and Sterlin were both young people we invested in at the beginning of their careers.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Sweats like everyone else.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Charles Yu; Interior Chinatown, his National Book Award winner, was one of my favorite reads of the last few years.”
Lawrence Shire
Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks
GW LawShire’s eclectic client list includes Meta, Robert De Niro, LeBron James, David Bowie’s estate and Spike Lee, who just signed a significant first-look Netflix deal. “Content just seems to be even more valuable with the new platforms that are out there,” he notes. “There’s an insatiable demand right now.” Shire also repped Late Night With Stephen Colbert producer Chris Licht in his deal to be the new worldwide head of CNN and signed Arnold Schwarzenegger as a client.
My podcast would be about … “The First Amendment.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Shortstop for the New York Yankees.”
Amy Siegel
O’Melveny
Loyola Law SchoolDuring a busy year of consolidation among global streamers and content producers, Siegel shepherded two bigger-ticket deals of note. She was co-lead counsel for South Korean entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM in its $850 million acquisition of Endeavor Content’s scripted business, and she advised fuboTV in its acquisition of France’s livestreaming company, Molotov SAS, for $190 million. She also advises Paramount, Bron Studios and Genius Sports.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A retired ballerina supporting the arts.”
Show I’m excited about … “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”
Marc Simon
Fox Rothschild
Cardozo Law SchoolSimon, whose roster is topped by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, has been busy advising the family of Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman through a publishing deal, while representing the production team behind a CNN+ series based on the couple; overseeing the sale of Malka Media to MoneyLion for $75 million; and working with filmmakers Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Gabe Polsky and Lotfy Nathan during transitional career moments.
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Sylvester Stallone, because he has created hugely iconic characters and franchises, and he still is always evolving, grinding and inspiring.”
My podcast would be about … “An unsolved family mystery that extends back to just after WWII in Newark, New Jersey, and the cold case disappearance of my grandfather.”
Gregory Slewett
Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole
Cardozo Law SchoolWith Spider-Man: No Way Home and its $1.8 billion at the box office — sans China — Slewett’s director client Jon Watts proved that the theatrical market could bounce back. Says Slewett, “That was probably the Hollywood-related thing in the pandemic I was most worried about.” His clients, including Hollywood’s most in-demand young talents Florence Pugh, Regé-Jean Page and Michael B. Jordan, are sure to keep the box office busy with respective features Don’t Worry Darling, Dungeons & Dragons and Creed 3.
Film I’m excited about … “Wakanda Forever.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Jeans and my JSSK sweatshirt.”
Jason Sloane
Sloane Offer Weber & Dern
UCLA School of LawSloane, whose firm made it through the pandemic with no layoffs or pay cuts, made deals for Mark Wahlberg to produce his passion project Father Stu while helping him expand various entrepreneurial ventures; assisted Westbrook in dealmaking; cemented Chris Evans’ deal to star in Ghosted for Apple TV+ and Skydance; and helped bring Hugh Jackman and The Music Man back to Broadway, which required “some bobbing and weaving” thanks to COVID-19.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “In my dreams, a rock guitarist.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Mel Brooks, because of his incredible longevity from the beginnings of television to present day, and his comic genius spanning that period never waning.”
Mitch Smelkinson
Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher
Loyola Law SchoolThe most gratifying part of Smelkinson’s job is seeing his clients succeed, like director Sian Heder, whom he repped for Oscar best picture winner CODA. “This was the little indie that could,” he says of her film. Smelkinson also reps director Florian Zeller, who landed a deal for the follow-up to The Father — The Son — along with Oscar Isaac, starring in Disney+’s Moon Knight series.
My podcast would be about … “Simplifying your life. That’s all I want.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “What these streamers are gonna want to pay. As they acquire more companies and consolidate power, we’re going to have a leverage challenge as talent reps.”
Cheryl Snow
Gang Tyre Ramer Brown & Passman
UCLA School of Law“I’m really proud of my clients and what they represent,” says Snow, who is as excited about making a deal for Iman Vellani to jump between Disney+ (Ms. Marvel) and theaters (The Marvels) as the MCU’s first Muslim superhero as she is helping clients make passion projects, like Selma Blair’s Discovery+ documentary about her battle with MS. She also reps Jim Parsons, who stars in the Focus adaptation of the memoir The Hero Dies, and Daniel Dae Kim, who landed Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.
My work from home wardrobe … “Let’s just say I could go from the Peloton to a Zoom without changing.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A therapist, which is sometimes part of being a lawyer.”
Orin Snyder
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Penn LawSnyder is called upon by entertainment giants like AMC, Time Warner and Sony for bet-the-company cases. Having represented Bob Dylan for more than 25 years, Snyder secured complete dismissal on behalf of the musician and Universal of a lawsuit from a songwriter seeking a portion of Dylan’s historic music catalog sale. As monetization models in the entertainment industry evolve, Snyder expects there will be more “cases brought by stakeholders trying to grab a piece of revenue that contracts didn’t contemplate.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A shaman.”
My podcast would be about … “How to achieve happiness in a chaotic world.”
Christopher Spicer
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Georgetown LawSpicer’s sweet spot is the byzantine world of credit facilities and slate financing. In 2021, in addition to some (confidential) nine-figure megadeals involving studios and mini-majors, he helped Comerica Bank close a $21.7 million loan facility to Bron Studios — co-financing for a slate of upcoming Warner Bros. films — and helped bulk up the financing (to $85 million) for the production of the Apple TV+/Media Res series Extrapolations with Eiza González, Tobey Maguire and Marion Cotillard.
Film I’m excited about … “Havoc, Gareth Evans’ new action movie starring Tom Hardy, in post at Netflix.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Performance-based participations and bonuses for streaming.”
Alison Stein
Jenner & Block
Penn LawStein is a leader in tech-driven content matters, ranging from antipiracy efforts to anti-circumvention litigation. In September, her team won a big victory for ViacomCBS in a $100 million trademark dispute over MTV’s Floribama Shore. She also obtained an antipiracy victory for Nintendo and is an adviser to Meta. Amid concerns of social media censorship, she says there needs to be “recognition that some moderation on some types of speech is necessary.”
My podcast would be about … “The realities of parenting. It would be me and other parents just sitting around complaining about how annoying our kids are, but how we love them even more when they’re annoying, and all the other hoops you jump through trying to be a good parent during tumultuous times. We’d share tricks of the trade that never actually get talked about in parenting books: like how to go to the bathroom when you’re solo parenting. We would interview women who seem to have it all figured out and get them to admit that they don’t. It would be highly cathartic.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “OpenSea. Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, by their very nature will require us to think about a revised playbook for intellectual property. It’s exciting to see how NFTs are causing so many of my friends and family to think about the very IP issues that I work on for a living. I would love to be a part of helping clients navigate this new frontier.”
Douglas Stone
Glaser Weil
Berkeley LawStone negotiated Daniel Craig’s post-Bond Broadway return in Macbeth; assisted Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment with Leverage: Redemption, Almost Paradise and The Ark; and inked Gemma Arterton’s deal for Culprits (Disney). Stone says the growing number of shows with eight- or 10-episode orders and studios demanding “maximum SAG exclusivity” results in difficulty “clearing” actors for more than one project: “When the customary series was 22 episodes with a predictable hiatus, things were much easier. ”
My work from home wardrobe … “Not too different from the office. Never was a suit-and-tie guy.”
My podcast would be about … “Ice hockey.”
Matthew Thompson
Sidley Austin
UC Hastings College of the LawDwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks, Warner Music and eOne are just some of the big names relying on the power broker for advice. In Amazon’s MGM mega-acquisition, Thompson represented longtime client Mark Burnett, chairman of MGM’s TV unit and the studio’s largest individual shareholder, and others. He notes “resilience” is a key Hollywood trend, saying, “Pandemic, inflation, war, political unrest, nothing seems to slow the industry down.”
My podcast would be about … “Untold stories of Hollywood. Not in the sensational sense, but in a, ‘This is what really happened and why’ sense, and what role the guest played in the event. Creative types, business types, legal types, the gamut.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Well, I wanted to be a doctor and that didn’t work out. If I could go back in time and take another run at o-chem, maybe things would turn out differently this time.”
Fred Toczek
Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson
USC Gould School of LawToczek’s client Anya Taylor-Joy continues her ascent with a wave of deals: On the heels of Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, she’ll be seen in Robert Eggers’ The Northman, David O. Russell’s untitled film and George Miller’s Mad Max follow-up Furiosa. And, post-Pam & Tommy, Seth Rogen has a dizzying slate including a role in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and producing projects with Point Grey like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Other busy clients include Nicholas Hoult (The Great, Renfield), Shailene Woodley (Three Women, Enzo Ferrari) and Justin Theroux (White House Plumbers).
My podcast would be about … “Lessons I’ve learned from my dogs.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “Further actualizing diversity in the storytelling and hiring process.”
Darren Trattner
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein
Berkeley LawThe pandemic saw Trattner taking calls and making deals for clients like Sigourney Weaver and Caitríona Balfe while walking 10 miles a day. Says Trattner of the loop around his L.A. neighborhood, “It’s a little different than sitting at my desk, where every deal I close, I am looking at my screen.” Those deals include Brian Tyree Henry starring in the Sony action feature Bullet Train and Karen Gillan’s continued Marvel tenure with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Hollywood’s next change is … “The metaverse is going to disrupt everything.”
My work from home wardrobe … “Jeans and a hoodie.”
Silvia Vannini
O’Melveny
University of Michigan Law SchoolVannini has had a hand in some of the industry’s most headline-grabbing acquisitions. She co-led South Korean heavyweight CJ ENM’s $850 million acquisition of Endeavor Content’s scripted business; repped one of the shareholders in the $900 million sale of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine; and advised ViacomCBS Networks International in its takeover of Spanish-language content producer Fox TeleColombia & Estudios TeleMexico. Vannini says she expects “technology giants will continue to build cross-media offerings.”
Film I’m excited about … “Avatar 2.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A philosophy professor.”
Steve Warren
Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox
Harvard Law SchoolWarren, whose clients include Kirsten Dunst, Tatiana Maslany and Jennifer Lawrence, transitioned one of the industry’s biggest box office draws, Leonardo DiCaprio, to streaming with Netflix’s Don’t Look Up and Apple TV+’s big swing Killers of the Flower Moon. He also helped orchestrate Colin Farrell’s busy year, from the DC feature The Batman, to the A24 title After Yang, to a reteaming with Martin McDonagh. That’s on top of Warren’s work as the creator-producer of the Emmy-nominated HBO reality drag-queen series We’re Here, set to film its third season: “It means so much to me. I am so proud of it.”
My podcast would be about … “The effect that filming We’re Here has had on the lives of the participants and the communities.”
David Weber
Sloane Offer Weber & Dern
USC Gould School of LawClient Rob McElhenney asked Weber recently if they could connect about his plan to buy a Welsh soccer team with Ryan Reynolds and do an unscripted show for FX. The answer was an easy yes: Weber also reps busy actor, producer and brand mogul Reynolds. Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix is shooting Ridley Scott’s Napoleon epic and is positioned to get a large check for Joker 2, and Andrew Garfield is having a big moment after Tick, Tick … Boom! Other clients include Jon Hamm, Christoph Waltz and Rami Malek.
My work from home wardrobe … “Eyeglasses, vintage baseball cap, T-shirt, cardigan, shorts with long-johns underneath, trainers.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “An unqualified and underemployed Buddhist psychotherapist or international affairs journalist/correspondent and/or documentary filmmaker or nature photographer/landscape architect.”
Bryan Wolf
Ziffren Brittenham
Columbia Law SchoolWolf guides Hollywood names through big deals, having brokered a juicy first-look pact for David Ellison’s Skydance with Apple TV+; Judd Apatow’s deal with NBCUniversal for film, TV and streaming; and Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim’s overall with Apple TV+ for his Concordia Studio. Other heavy-hitters Wolf reps include Michael Ellenberg’s MediaRes and Scott Silver, who co-wrote Joker and is boarding Joker 2.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A history professor.”
Book I’m excited about … “The World According to China by Elizabeth Economy.”
Ashley Yeargan
Russ August & Kabat
Stanford Law SchoolYeargan is Drake’s go-to for non-music legal issues and oversees all such litigation for the artist, including his defense in more than 40 lawsuits stemming from his guest appearance at Travis Scott’s 2021 Astroworld festival and a suit he brought against a jeweler for using his face without permission to promote the company’s brand. Building a unique hybrid practice in addition to her litigation work, she also handles dealmaking for Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment. Says Yeargan, “The idea is to be a one-stop shop for a client.”
Show I’m most about … “The Dropout.”
Hollywood’s next change is … “I see an even more dramatic shift away from theatrical releases and an increase of even more movies made directly for streaming. I just don’t see pandemic situation reversing itself unless you have a big tentpole situation.”
Kevin Yorn
Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman
Tulane Law SchoolYorn’s year has been anything but quiet. As Scarlett Johansson’s longtime attorney, he was integral to her game-changing lawsuit against Disney over Black Widow’s day-and-date release last summer. In the months since, he’s been busy renegotiating sweeping new deals for the creators of Squid Game and Ted Lasso frontman Jason Sudeikis. Yorn also rebranded his law firm, re-imagined the office complex and, with his brother Rick and several others, is raising a substantial private equity fund. Back in Hollywood, where Yorn’s as focused on traditional dealmaking as he is on startup investing and incubation, his client roster includes Matthew McConaughey, Ellen DeGeneres, Zoe Saldana and Alicia Keys.
My podcast would be about … “Sort of like a Howard Stern interview. I’d speak with people of all walks of life and mostly ask about their pain points and failures and speak about their vulnerabilities with the overall purpose of them being open about how their failures lead them to their successes. Hopefully it would inspire people. I’d call it (if Springsteen let me) Darkness at the Edge of Town. I’d try to make Karl Jung proud.”
Julian Zajfen
Ziffren Brittenham
Stanford Law SchoolZajfen especially enjoys helping international talent cross over into American TV and film. Not only is Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn a client, but so are three of the series’ actors (Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa and Connor Swindells), as well as Lupin showrunner George Kay. Beyond creating profits, Zajfen believes making movies and TV shows is about growing the value of an enterprise. “Streaming has introduced a totally new model that everyone feels compelled to compete against,” says the attorney, who also advises Vanessa Hudgens, Ed Harris, Sarah Silverman and Craig Robinson.
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A historian.”
Film I’m excited about … “Gareth Edwards’ True Love and every other project that my other clients have.”
Susan Zuckerman Williams
Paul Hastings
USC Gould School of LawComplex finance transactions across Hollywood and Wall Street are no problem for Zuckerman Williams, whose clients include Vine Alternative Investments and Comerica Bank. She recently repped Fox in its acquisition of MarVista, as well as Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook in its sale of a stake to Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media. She notes, “The continued expansion of content production is fueling new well-capitalized entrants into the entertainment business and providing significant opportunities for both M&A and financing.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “Host of SportsCenter.”
Show I’m excited about … “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy season two.”
Profiles written by Trilby Beresford, Patrick Brzeski, J. Clara Chan, Winston Cho, Kirsten Chuba, Aaron Couch, Mia Galuppo, Chris Gardner, Rebecca Keegan, Katie Kilkenny, Borys Kit, Pamela McClintock, Sydney Odman, Mikey O’Connell, Ryan Parker, Christy Piña, Lacey Rose, Scott Roxborough, Rebecca Sun, Georg Szalai, Etan Vlessing and Alex Weprin.
A version of this story first appeared in the March 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
Read More About:
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Sign Up Logo textWEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Unique expertise on how the law impacts Hollywood pros, projects and processes
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbvLpbCwp5%2BZv6a8zqurnqpemLyue8uiqq2rX528rbjYsKaonF2lvLix0Wajmq%2Bpmr%2B0eZFpaWtlpKS9brHNrZyrrJGeu66xza1kmqykpL%2BvsdisZg%3D%3D